Disposable plastic gloves are manufactured according to high quality standards to protect hands and fingers from exposure to bacteria, viruses, and other contaminants commonly found in medical and hospital settings, food preparation areas, biologic engineering laboratories, electromechanical and manufacturing work, inspection industries, automotive repair, household, and so on. Gloves are also used to protect against contamination of, for example, pharmaceuticals and foods that may be handled.
Disposable plastic gloves are manufactured with several considerations in mind, such as:
1. materials costs,
2. environmental impact,
3. durability,
4. comfort,
5. sanitation,
6. ability to form a protective barrier, and
7. use of hypo- or non-allergenic materials.
Disposable gloves are conventionally manufactured from a mixture of polymers, typically a low density polyethylene and high density polyethylene, because of the low cost of the materials, the inertness of the materials to a wide range of chemicals, and the flexibility of the gloves over a wide range of temperatures. However, the materials used in the manufacture of disposable polyethylene gloves may result in gloves that may not meet certain above-mentioned requirements. For example, gloves manufactured from a mixture of a low density polyethylene and high density polyethylene may not be comfortable and may tear easily.
Disposable gloves may also be manufactured from different materials, such as vinyl, natural rubber latex, or synthetic latex. While each material provides certain advantages that render gloves made therefrom useful, each material also suffers certain disadvantages, as set forth in the following table.
PlasticsProConPolyethyleneHypo-allergenicEasy tearExcellent chemicalLeakage at heat sealedresistanceseamsEconomicalNot as comfortable asLow environmental impactLatexCapable protectivePoor dexteritybarrierVinylEconomicalAllergic reactionGood dexterityPoor barrier capabilityComfortableNot as comfortable aslatexEnvironmental impactNaturalCapable protectiveAllergic reactionRubber LatexbarrierChemical resistanceComfortableEnvironmental impactExcellent dexteritySyntheticExcellent BarrierAllergic reactionLatexcapabilityEnvironmental impactDurableNot as comfortable asExcellent dexteritylatexHigh cost
Suitable gloves have been manufactured from the above-mentioned materials, including disposable gloves constructed from a mixture of a high density polyethylene and a low density polyethylene. Other suitable gloves may be constructed of mixtures of ethylene-based polymers including a first ethylene-based metallocene-linear low density polyethylene (m-LLDPE) and at least one ethylene-based polymer selected from a second metallocene-linear low density polyethylene (m-LLDPE), an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA), and a linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE). While these gloves have proven effective for their various applications including, for example, as disposable food-service gloves, there remains the opportunity for further improvements that overcome one or more of the above-noted disadvantages including, for example, improvements in donning and gripping ability of the gloves and the strength characteristics of the gloves.